After the discovery of penicillin in the 1940s, a proliferation of other antibiotics followed. Some kill bacteria; others inhibit bacteria from multiplying. In most cases, your body can fight off harmful bacteria on its own. When they're especially numerous or hardy, however, antibiotics can get rid of them. Antibiotics usually come from your pharmacist with an insert telling you what you can and can't do while you're taking them, including foods you should avoid eating.
Dairy Products
Milk and other dairy products can aggravate your intestines while you're taking antibiotics. MedLine Plus particularly recommends against taking ciprofloxacin with milk, although taking it with foods that include milk as an ingredient should be okay. Full-fat products can also worsen the diarrhea that is sometimes a side effect of antibiotics.
Fiber
Certain high-fiber vegetables and beans can also aggravate antibiotic-induced diarrhea. Wheat products fortified with iron or calcium can interfere with your body's ability to absorb some antibiotics, particularly quinolones, which include ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid and cinoxacin, and a recently added group of flouroquinolones that include sparfloxacin and trovafloxacin. Some juices contain soluble fiber and may be fortified with calcium.
Acidic Foods
The acid content in certain foods can disrupt your body's ability to absorb medications in general, according to an article in "The Chicago Tribune." You don't always have to avoid them entirely, however. You can sometimes consume acidic foods and beverages, including catsup and tomatoes, fruit juices and carbonated beverages, well ahead of taking a dose of your medication or hours afterward. If you're unsure, ask your pharmacist.
Alcohol
MayoClinic.com indicates that alcohol doesn't generally interfere with antibiotics. However, antibiotics and alcohol can have similar side effects, so consuming both together can increase the chance that you'll experience them. You might risk nausea, wooziness, dizziness or drowsiness to an increased degree if you combine them. The antibiotics most likely to cause a severe reaction if you drink alcohol with them include tinidazole, metronidazole and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
All Foods
Many antibiotics do not interact well with any food at all. Generally, the insert with your prescription will advise you to take them on an empty stomach. These include penicillin G, ampicillin, floxin, oxacillin and ciprofloxacin. You can take tetracycline either 3 hours before you eat or 3 hours afterward.
Tip
Avoid consuming all dairy, except yogurt, when you're taking antibiotics. According to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the calcium content of dairy products can interfere with the absorption of the antibiotics. However, yogurt contains probiotics with active cultures that restore balance to your intestines if your antibiotics are causing diarrhea. Antibiotics also can't make a distinction between "good" and "bad" bacteria, so the level of good bacteria in your intestines diminishes as well after taking antibiotics for a prescribed period of time. Probiotics often balance intestinal flora.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Antibiotics and Alcohol: Should I Avoid Mixing Them?; James L. Steckelberg, M.D.; March 2010
- Dallas News; Food Choices Can Affect Antibiotics' Effectiveness; The Chicago Tribune; January 2011
- MedlinePlus; Ciprofloxacin; April 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea; Mayo Clinic Staff; May 2010
- Medical News Today; What Are Antibiotics? How Do Antibiotics Work?; April 2009
- American Family Physician; New Classification and Update on the Quinolone Antibiotics; Dana E. King, M.D., et al
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